South Western League

The 2013 South Western Rugby League season kicks off this Sunday with the traditional opener to the summer, the South West Nines.
Plymouth Titans will be defending their title which they secured with a sudden death extra time dropped goal to defeat four time champions Exeter University 21-20 last May.
The games begin at 1pm at Duckes Meadow, Salmon Pool Lane, Exeter EX2 4SN with free admission.
Next weekend see the opening round of the SWML when Somerset Vikings host reigning champions Devon Sharks on Saturday and newboys Cornish Rebels entertain the Plymouth Titans at Camborne RFC on the Sunday. North Devon Raiders and Exeter Centurions complete the line up with their Round One game delayed until May 25th.
There is a new website for the SW League where you can find out more about each club, the fixtures and results lists and download the 2013 SWL Handbook.
www.swrl2013.com

The interesting thing is that the only reference I can find to the "West of England" is the fact that Somerset's first team will compete in it. I'm guessing that the West of England will now have its own website.

The www.swrl2013.com site isn't official, it was set up as a way of getting the handbook and downloads out to people as well as being a site specifically for the South Western League. The confusion is that the region is called the South West but there are two totally separate leagues within the region.
The South Western League is for clubs in Devon and Cornwall, though Somerset have put a second team in as they have nowhere else to play. The West of England League is for clubs from Somerset up through Bristol and Gloucester to Wiltshire and Oxfordshire.
When the region had it's own RFL Manager the idea was that the two leagues would compete side by side with play offs at the end of the season to decide an overall South West Champion but that never happened. Now, the leagues have separate management committee's and constitutions there isn't any interaction between the SW and WoE leagues.
The current South West RFL site hasn't had any South West League updates for over twelve months so hopefully the new one will cover both competitions.

'With first team places at a premium following the Sonics’ partnership agreement with the University of Gloucestershire All Golds, Bristol Sonics A can call on plenty of experience as they look to get their 2013 campaign off to the best possible start.

Sonics’ Director of Rugby Karl Fearnley will be pulling on his boots again for a rare run out at hooker, while the squad also contains nine players with previous first team experience, and a string of debutants.

Fearnley, who for this week has handed over first team coaching duties to former second team player/coach Aran Simm, said: “We’ve been delighted by the number of people who have committed to the second team this year and the willingness of first team squad members to prove their form and fitness in the seconds.

“I know all the players are looking forward to showing me what they can do to try and force their way into the first team as the season progresses.”

The pack of forwards set to take to the field at Avonmouth on Saturday includes a number of Sonics legends. Tristan Moore, Jack Gibson, Joe Singleton and Josh Sampson are all set to feature, alongside replacements Dave Leach, James Pritchard, ambitious hooker Andy Parsons and returning second-rower Dan Wegryzn'

I read through the SWRL handbook. It has rules and regulations on P & R despite there only being one "Premier" division and nothing below it. At least they are thinking long term I suppose.

Yeah, I just thought the RFL decided not to call them 'Premier'. However, I don't have a problem with it as I'd say the performances I watched/played in on Saturday definitely seemed to be a 'Premier' level quality game, even for the first game of the season. My main point of confusion was the part of the article I quoted from.

Edited by HappyDave, 12 May 2013 - 11:47 PM.

"I've never seen a woman with hairy ears... And I've been to St Helens" - John Bishop

Yeah, guess the winner of the 'West of England - Premier' will take on the winner of the 'South West - Premier' then the winner will take on another 'Premier' winner through to the 2nd Round of the Harry Jepson?

'Sonics’ Director of Rugby Karl Fearnley will be pulling on his boots again for a rare run out at hooker, while the squad also contains nine players with previous first team experience, and a string of debutants.

And

'The pack of forwards set to take to the field at Avonmouth on Saturday includes a number of Sonics legends. Tristan Moore, Jack Gibson, Joe Singleton and Josh Sampson are all set to feature, alongside replacements Dave Leach, James Pritchard, ambitious hooker Andy Parsons and returning second-rower Dan Wegryzn'

If I've read that article right because Bristol Sonics 1sts have 4 - 5 All Golds Reservists in their squad now so had 9 of their 1st team/interchange players from their 1sts from 2012/2013 in their 'A' squad?

If SSG are able to hold a squad who are 70% from their Conference League 3 squad for large parts of the game to a 6 point game then I recogne that the 'West of England' teams won't have any difficult competing again other teams from 'Premier' leagues when it comes to the end of the season.

Edited by HappyDave, 13 May 2013 - 08:00 PM.

"I've never seen a woman with hairy ears... And I've been to St Helens" - John Bishop

If I've read that article right because Bristol Sonics 1sts have 4 - 5 All Golds Reservists in their squad now so had 9 of their 1st team/interchange players from their 1sts from 2012/2013 in their 'A' squad?

If SSG are able to hold a squad who are 70% from their Conference League 3 squad for large parts of the game to a 6 point game then I recogne that the 'West of England' teams won't have any difficult competing again other teams from 'Premier' leagues when it comes to the end of the season.

You haven't read it right I'm afraid. Only one player who played on Saturday played in our first team last year. We had two new players and two who missed the whole of last season through injury. The rest were regulars from last season's West of England campaign. That first team experience mentioned was a fair while ago.

As for our 1sts, there were three All Golds players, one of whom is a player signed from us.

Much as I enjoyed Saturday's game, it certainly wasn't of the same standard as the Midlands Prem was from our days in that. Let's keep our feet on the ground eh?

You haven't read it right I'm afraid. Only one player who played on Saturday played in our first team last year. We had two new players and two who missed the whole of last season through injury. The rest were regulars from last season's West of England campaign. That first team experience mentioned was a fair while ago.

As for our 1sts, there were three All Golds players, one of whom is a player signed from us.

Much as I enjoyed Saturday's game, it certainly wasn't of the same standard as the Midlands Prem was from our days in that. Let's keep our feet on the ground eh?

Okay, fair enough Phil. I stand corrected.

I'm just an SSG player so my interest lies firmly with Swindon St George. I've never been to a Midlands Premier game so don't know the standard other than what I've viewed on YouTube, however I realise the 'West of England' division is strengthening year-on-year. All I know is it's an extremely competitive league and the game was a very good, tough game on Saturday.

Edited by HappyDave, 13 May 2013 - 09:54 PM.

"I've never seen a woman with hairy ears... And I've been to St Helens" - John Bishop